Anthurium plant named ‘ANTHESZJA’

ABSTRACT

A new  Anthurium  plant named ‘ANTHESZJA’ particularly distinguished by having small, shiny, white, ovate and very durable spathes that retain the original color for a very long period of time, dark green and long ovate, durable leaves, white spadix with light yellow-green tip, early and rich flowering continuously throughout the year and a plant height of 21.0 cm to 25.0 cm, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Anthurium andraeanum L.

Variety denomination: ‘ANTHESZJA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Anthurium,botanically known as Anthurium andraeanum L., and hereinafter referredto by the variety name ‘ANTHESZJA’. The new Anthurium plant is a productof a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Bleiswijk,the Netherlands. The objective of this breeding program was to create anew compact plant with small, shiny, white, ovate and durable spathes.

The new variety originated from a cross-pollination made in August 2008in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The female parent is a red Anthurium potplant designated ‘12461-07’ (unpatented), and the male parent was a pinkAnthurium pot plant designated ‘15580-01’ (unpatented).

A single plant was selected from the progeny of the stated cross in June2010 and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by meristem tissueculture in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands over a 5-year period. The presentinvention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristicsthrough successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this variety have been applied for in theEuropean Union on Nov. 24, 2015. ‘ANTHESZJA’ has not been made publiclyavailable or sold anywhere in the world more than one year prior to thefiling of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands:

-   -   1) Small white spathe;    -   2) White spadix with a light yellow-green tip;    -   3) Green, long ovate leaves; and    -   4) Compact plant that develops many shoots.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Anthurium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographswhich show the overall plant habit including blooms, buds and foliage ofthe plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of a 34-weekold plant grown in a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands in January2017. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe theactual colors of the new variety.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature spathe.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the upper leaf blade surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘ANTHESZJA’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inBleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 34-week oldplants which were planted from tissue culture in 12-centimeter(diameter) pots and grown in a glass greenhouse between 19° C. and 24°C. Observations were made in January 2017. Color readings were takenunder 5000 lux natural light in the greenhouse. Color references areprimarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Societyof London (R.H.S.) (2015).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Araceae.        -   Botanical.—Anthurium andraeanum L.        -   Common name.—Anthurium.        -   Denomination.—‘ANTHESZJA’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Anthurium plant ‘12461-07’ (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—Anthurium plant ‘15580-01’ (unpatented).-   Plant:    -   -   Propagation.—Meristem tissue culture.        -   Root description.—Fleshy-creamy colored roots with small            hairy lateral roots having yellow colored root tips.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—32 to 36 weeks            after planting in a 12 cm (diameter) pot.        -   Growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Height (measured from soil, including inflorescence).—21.0            cm to 25.0 cm.        -   Width (measured from leaf tips).—31.0 cm to 36.0 cm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Immature leaves.—Length: 9.0 cm to 11.0 cm. Width: 5.0 cm to            6.0 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 146A. Lower surface: RHS            146B. Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Shiny.        -   Mature leaves.—Length (fully expanded): 10.0 cm to 12.0 cm.            Width: 6.0 cm to 7.0 cm. Shape: Long ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Leaf blade angle with the petiole: Between            135 degrees and 145 degrees. Leaf margin: Entire. Color:            Upper surface: RHS 147A. Lower surface: RHS 146A. Texture:            Shiny, leathery and thick. Venation: Pinnate veining; the            mid-vein and primary veins (the veins that radiate out from            the junction of petiole and leaf) protrude at the underside            of the leaf blade. Venation color: Upper surface: RHS 146A.            Lower surface: RHS 146B.        -   Lobes.—Absent.        -   Petiole.—Cross-section: Round. Diameter: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.            Length: 6.0 cm to 8.0 cm for a mature leaf size. Color:            Mature leaf: RHS 144A. Immature leaf: RHS 144B. Cataphyll            color surrounding the petiole: Outside: RHS 144A. Inside:            RHS 144C.        -   Geniculum.—Length: 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm. Width: 0.2 cm to            0.4 cm. Color: RHS 144A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Arrangement.—Single.        -   Flowering habit (length of flowering season).—Continuous.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—18 to 25.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Longevity of inflorescence on plant.—Over a year.-   Spathe:    -   -   Buds.—The spathe is tightly rolled around the spadix and            extrudes from the peduncle sheath. After the spathe is fully            open, the peduncle elongates some extra centimeters.        -   Arrangement.—Spathe angle with the peduncle is between 80            degrees and 100 degrees; the spathe stands on a wiry            peduncle about 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm above the foliage. The            spathe is positioned far above the foliage.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Ovate.        -   Texture.—Not blistered.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Size.—Length: 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm. Width: 3.5 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Lobes.—Absent.        -   Color.—Just fully open: Upper surface: RHS NN155B. Lower            surface: RHS NN155B. This white color remains for a very            long period, at least more than 30 weeks after opening.            After some weeks, the spathe turns green. Upper surface            after some weeks: Light yellow-green (RHS 150D) with RHS144C            over color. Lower surface after some weeks: Light            yellow-green (RHS 150D) with RHS 144B over color.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Shape.—Erect.        -   Cross-section.—Round.        -   Length.—13.0 cm to 15.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B.-   Flowering time:    -   -   General.—One small rooted untreated tissue culture plant of            8.0 cm tall will flower, depending on season, after 32 to 34            weeks and 18 to 22 blossoms appear. More blossoms appear            after some additional weeks so that a full flowering and            commercial plant will have 18 to 25 white spathes. Smaller            blossoms may occur on immature plants.-   Spadix:    -   -   Size.—Length: 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm (depending on flower size).            Width (at apex): 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm. Width (at base): 0.4 cm            to 0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Columnar.        -   Angle from spadix tip to peduncle.—160 degrees to 180            degrees.        -   Texture.—When the spathe is unfurling the spadix is smooth.            When the spadix matures, small stigmata protrude. The            stigmata are evenly distributed around the spadix. The            spadix matures from base to top, slowly giving the spadix a            somewhat rough appearance.        -   Color.—Immature: RHS 1D. Mature: RHS NN155A. Ages to: RHS            NN155A.-   Flowers:    -   -   Quantity per spadix.—70 to 100.        -   Spadix flower arrangement.—Bisexual, rounded in            cross-section.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Size.—Length: 0.05 cm to 0.10 cm. Diameter (maximum): 0.10            cm.        -   Color.—RHS 156D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Not visible.        -   Pollen amount.—Absent.        -   Pistil.—Quantity: Many. Length: Less than 0.01 cm. Color:            RHS 156D.        -   Style.—Not observed.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Ovoid. Diameter: Less than 0.01 cm. Color:            RHS 156D.        -   Ovary.—Rarely visible.        -   Ovary color.—Not measured.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed to date.

Disease and pest resistance: No specific resistance or susceptibilityobserved to pathogens and pests common to Anthurium.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘ANTHESZJA’ differs from the female parent plant ‘12461-07’ (unpatented)in that ‘ANTHESZJA’ has white spathes and a white (RHS NN155A) spadixwith light yellow-green (RHS 1D) tips, whereas ‘12461-07’ has redspathes and a white (RHS NN155A) spadix with yellow (RHS 3B) tips.Additionally, ‘ANTHESZJA’ has unblistered spathes, whereas ‘12461-07’has blistered spathes.

‘ANTHESZJA’ differs from the male parent plant ‘15580-01’ (unpatented)in that ‘ANTHESZJA’ has white spathes and a white (RHS NN155A) spadixwith light yellow-green (RHS 1D) tips, whereas ‘15580-01’ has red-pinkspathes and a reddish (RHS 37C) spadix with reddish (RHS 37A) tips.

‘ANTHESZJA’ differs from similar commercial variety ‘ANTHDOMAQ’(unpatented) in that ‘ANTHESZJA’ has ovate, unblistered spathes, whereas‘ANTHDOMAQ’ has broad cordate, blistered spathes. Additionally,‘ANTHESZJA’ has narrower spathes than ‘ANTHDOMAQ’.

‘ANTHESZJA’ differs from similar commercial variety ‘ANTHEFAQYR’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 15,050) in that ‘ANTHESZJA’ ovate spathes, and long ovateshaped leaves, whereas ‘ANTHEFAQYR’ has cordate spathes, and deltoidshaped leaves. Additionally, ‘ANTHESZJA’ has narrower spathes than‘ANTHEFAQYR’.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Anthurium plant named‘ANTHESZJA’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.